This film is King Kong, with low production values; and features a dinosaur instead of an angry ape. The setting is different taking place in a small Mexican town. It has some interesting effects by Ray Harryhausen.
James Franciscus stars as Tuck Kirby, who has a Wild West show in the Mexican town. The show is having difficulties, and Kirby needs something to draw in the crowds. His girlfriend, T.J. Breckinridge, (Gila Golan) isn’t making people give up their money, with her leaping horse into a pool of fire act.
Tuck Kirby hears a rumor of strange creatures, being sighted in The Valley of Gwangi. He goes on an expedition withT.J. Breckinridge, Champ Connors, (Richard Carlson), Professor Bromley, (Laurence Naismith) and Carlos dos Orsos (Gustavo Rojo). These rumors turn out to be true. The group sees a pterodactyl, a stegosaurus and an allosaurus. The stegosaurus happens to be on the losing end of a death match with an allosaurus. Unfortunately the allosaurus is very unlucky because it encounters James Franciscus and his gang. In the best movie tradition, a few men manage to bring the allosaurus down, and cage it.
Tuck Kirby and his group, take the dinosaur into town, for his show. While getting ready to present the allosaurus, a dwarf who lives in the valley, frees it from the cage. Unfortunately, the monster doesn’t appreciate the gesture, and kills his liberator. As in this type of movie, the creature seeks revenge. It does this by heavily damaging the town, and killing some of the residents. It follows some citizens of the town into church. It’s an interesting scene watching it stroll into the house of worship. It just ducks its head a little to avoid any obstacles. Unfortunately, it meets its end there. Tuck Kirby tosses a torch at it, and it burns alive. The scene moves to outside of the church, where Franciscus and the townsfolk, watch it,(the church), burn.
The Valley of Gwangi is a movie to be enjoyed for what it is, cowboys vs.the dinosaur. James Franciscus attempting to lasso the dinosaur is good for some laughs. The outcome is almost always the same, tragedy for the uprooted creature. The best thing about this film is Ray Harryhausen’s work. It makes you appreciate what special effects were before computers.